Half a Century

Each January, we list and profile companies celebrating significant milestones, and through the years I would periodically say to myself, “We’ll be there someday.” We’re a bit behind those celebrating centennial or older anniversaries, but we’re glad to be among a distinguished list of companies celebrating a 50th anniversary this year.

We put a lot of stock in longevity. We believe it’s important to recognize and celebrate these anniversaries and achievements. We took the baton to run Ingram’s in February 1997—a photo of my column from our first issue is on Page 12. I’m the guy next to Bo Jackson on the front cover of the first edition of Ingram’s after the brand change from Corporate Report Kansas City in October 1989.

The best we can tell, collectively, previous publishers and their teams published 289 editions between Dec. 1974 and Feb, 1997. I believe this is the 411th edition of the magazine that I’ve had the pleasure to publish. If our numbers are correct, you’re holding the 700th edition in this publication’s history. That collective body of work is what we celebrate today, in that this is the first issue of the 50th year.

When we interview multi-generational family businesses, we’re reminded that those leaders are fearful they could be the one to see the enterprise fail. I feel a bit of that, a sentiment I’m sure is shared by many.

Unlike most of them, though, I’m confident in our prospects, and not just because we have a unique content plan that engages the business community and promotes their interests. You can find evidence of that in the dizzying numbers of applications we continue to receive for 40 Under Forty, Best Companies to Work For, Heroes in Healthcare or any of our other recognition programs each year.

We promote the best of what this region has to offer in executive talent and organizational achievement, and we do it through a rigorous, intensive process of research, qualification and internal debate. Trust me on the last one—I have the scars to prove it.

Beyond our content, I’m reassured that Ingram’s has a product that appeals to savvy marketing executives. They know that when they advertise here, they reach one of the highest reader demographics of any publication in America. There’s just no other medium, print, digital or broadcast, that allows them to reach those decision-makers.

We also work hard to produce more than 60 industry ranking lists each year; again, each provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for ranked companies to leverage that content for their marketing and positioning strategies. That goes double for those at the top of each list.

They’ll have that chance in February, when we deliver the 2024 edition of The Power Book with that compilation of lists. We’re running behind our schedule and working hard to catch up. I apologize to those wh0 were expecting it delivered along with this edition.

February will be a great issue and I’d encourage you to study the content that will be coming in that issue (Page 64) and the Dual Issue Special Rate promotion to advertise in the February issue and the 2024 edition of The Power Book (Page 16).

The granddaddy of them all is on its way in March and we’re doing all we can to produce an exceptional 50th Anniversary Edition. We have much work to do and patrons to recruit to achieve the plan and publish the biggest and best edition ever.

Businesses like Ingram’s wouldn’t sus-tain a year, much less half a century, were it not for loyal patrons. We’ve been blessed and we keep on giving it our all, even though the Internet and occasional speed bumps along the way, in the form of severe economic times, take their collective toll.

Our ALL-IN ’24 plan is a very good one for advertisers and and we hope clients and prospects take advantage of the 50 percent off discount we’re offering for organizations to participate in all issues this year.

Ingram’s 50th Anniversary Edition

Ingram’s editors and team are trying to create something very special this year: Archiving half a century of business in the region. We know this is a tall ambition but we have the artillery with carefully researched and crafted features covering every month since December 1974.

We’ll recognize the larger-than-life players that drove growth and progress, as well as the companies who made great strides and impact in their sectors. We’ll also archive and feature the transactions, developments and events that have shaped our city and the communities herein.

Fifty years is a long time by any baro-meter. The first issue of Outlook was distributed my sophomore year in high school. Little did I know at that time that my Dad, John Sweeney, was the real-estate columnist for Outlook and he contributed in monthly issues for several years.

I joined Mike Rainen and his team at Rainen Business Interiors in 1982. I was a budding sales guy and RBI owned the back cover of then Corporate Report-KC. In this era, salesmen pounded the pavement, I flipped over thousands of copies (to show our ad) on coffee tables everywhere. One might say I’ve had a hand in many of the 700 collective issues. So it’s with pleasure to deliver to you this first edition of a celebratory year, along with our promise to build a great portfolio of publications and digital content.

We welcome you along for the ride.